- Winchendon, Massachusetts
Infobox Settlement
official_name = Winchendon, Massachusetts
nickname = Toy Town
motto =
imagesize = 250px
image_caption = Clyde II
image_
mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location in Worcester County in Massachusetts
mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name =United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 =Massachusetts
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Worcester
established_title = Settled
established_date = 1753
established_title2 = Incorporated
established_date2 = 1764
established_title3 =
established_date3 =
government_type =Open town meeting
leader_title = Town
Manager
leader_name = James Kreidler
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 = Keith Barrows
Craig Bourque
Burton Gould, Jr.
Walter Moriarty
Mark Shea
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 114.1
area_total_sq_mi = 44.1
area_land_km2 = 112.1
area_land_sq_mi = 43.3
area_water_km2 = 2.0
area_water_sq_mi = 0.8
population_as_of = 2000
settlement_type = Town
population_total = 9611
population_density_km2 = 85.7
population_density_sq_mi = 222.0
elevation_m = 305
elevation_ft = 1000
timezone = Eastern
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = Eastern
utc_offset_DST = -4
latd = 42 |latm = 41 |lats = 10 |latNS = N
longd = 72 |longm = 02 |longs = 40 |longEW = W
website = http://www.townofwinchendon.com/
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 01475
area_code = 351 / 978
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 25-80405
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0618394
footnotes =Winchendon is a town in Worcester County,
Massachusetts , USA. The population was 9,611 at the 2000 census. Home to Winchendon State Forest, the town includes the village of Waterville.For geographic and demographic information on the
census-designated place Winchendon, please see the article Winchendon (CDP),Massachusetts .History
Winchendon is a small town in north-central Massachusetts, originally the country of the
Pennacook Indians, and then the Nipnet/Nipmuck Tribe.The House of Representatives made the grant of New Ipswich Canada, now Winchendon, on
June 10 ,1735 in answer to a petition from Lt. Abraham Tilton of Ipswich. The petition was on behalf of veterans or surviving heirs participating in the 1690 expeditions against Canada. Winchendon was officially incorporated in 1764, named after a town inBuckinghamshire ,England . TheMillers River providedwater power for mills, and at one time Winchendon produced so many wooden shingles that it was nicknamed Shingletown.Morton E. Converse started his business career in Converseville, New Hampshire, manufacturing acids. In 1873, he purchased a nearby mill to make wooden products. Apparently he started making toys there, but soon teamed with Orland Mason of Winchendon to form the Mason & Converse Company, which lasted until 1883. Converse then partnered with his uncle, Alfred C. Converse, and Converse Toy & Woodenware Company was formed. In 1887, the company changed its name to Morton E. Converse & Company. It remained in business until 1934.
Converse made a great variety of toys, including
Noah's Ark s, doll furniture, kiddie riding racers,hobby horse s, floor whirligigs,drum s, wagon blocks, building blocks,piano s, trunks, ten pins, farm houses, and musical roller chimes. Such a large number of toys were made in Winchendon that it became known as Toy Town.The original Giant Rocking Horse was built in 1912 by Morton Converse. The 12’ grey hobby horse was named Clyde, and made from nine pine trees. It was a copy of the company’s #12 rocking horse. In 1914, Clyde entered the local parade to celebrate the town’s 150th anniversary. Clyde was moved to the railroad station for about 20 years. Then in 1934, he moved to the edge of the Toy Town Tavern for about 30 years. After that, he was put in storage and fell into disrepair. A
replica , Clyde II, was sculpted in 1988 using the original as a model. He is now on display in a covered pavilion.Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 44.1square mile s (114.1km² ), of which, 43.3 square miles (112.1 km²) of it is land and 0.8 square miles (2.0 km²) of it (1.77%) is water. Winchendon is drained by the Millers River. Winchendon is home to Lake Denison and Whitney Pond, and sharesLake Monomonac with Rindge,New Hampshire to the north.Demographics
Located 20 miles SE of Keene,
New Hampshire as of thecensus GR|2 of 2000, there were 9,611 people, 3,447 households, and 2,478 families residing in the town. Thepopulation density was 222.0 people per square mile (85.7/km²). There were 3,660 housing units at an average density of 84.6/sq mi (32.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.96% White, 0.80% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.95% from other races, and 1.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.03% of the population.There were 3,447 households out of which 39.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.3% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% were non-families. 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the town the population was spread out with 30.2% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 98.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $43,750, and the median income for a family was $50,086. Males had a median income of $36,875 versus $29,099 for females. The
per capita income for the town was $18,798. About 6.8% of families and 10.0% of the population were below thepoverty line , including 10.6% of those under age 18 and 19.3% of those age 65 or over. The local senior high is Murdock High School.Government
Infobox Mass Town Govt
county= Worcester
clerk_courts = Dennis P. McManus (D)
cty_treasurer = Position Eliminated
da = Joseph D. Early, Jr. (D)
deeds = Anthony J. Vigliotti (D)
probate = Stephen Abraham (D)
sheriff = Guy W. Glodis (D)
state_rep = Robert L. Rice (D)
state_sen = Stephen M. Brewer (D)
gov_councilors = Thomas J. Foley (D)
fed_rep =John W. Olver (D-1st District),
fed_sen =Edward Kennedy (D)John Kerry (D)Points of interest
* [http://www.topfunaviation.com Top Fun Aviation Toy Museum]
* [http://www.winchendonhistoricalsociety.org/ Murdock-Whitney House Museum, Winchendon Historical Society]Notable residents
*
Dudley W. Adams , horticulturalist & granger
* Levi P. Morton, U.S. Vice President, from 1889-93 under Harrison
* Former Massachusetts governor William Barrett Washburn (1872-1874)
* Many Revolutionary War soldiers who fought to defend the United States and several who aided in the Battle of Bunker Hill.References
External links
* [http://www.winchendon.NET Winchendon.NET]
* [http://www.townofwinchendon.com/ Town of Winchendon]
* [http://www.ToyTownWeb.com ToyTownWeb.com Winchendon Online Magazine]
* [http://www.stateparks.com/winchendon.html Winchendon State Forest]
* [http://www.winchendonfire.com Winchendon Fire Department]
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